Sanding device for street-cars.



w. A. SAULT.

SANDiNG DEVICE FOR STREET CARS. APPLICATION FILED JULYZI, 1913. RENEWED APR. 13.1915.

Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L /QEW /52 Wm bymfi Qm THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTG-LITHOE, WASHING rQN, D

W. A. SAULT.

SANDING DEVICE FOR STREET CARS.

APPLICATIQN nuzn JULYZ'I, 1913. RENEWED APR. 13.1915.

1,140,618. Patented Ma 25, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WSSCS-J Irwcnior [HE NORRIS PEYERS 60.. PHOTOVLITHOH WASHINGION (JV '3 an s rn'rns m OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. SAULT, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-FIFTI-IS T0 ERNEST WHITEHEAD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SANDING DEVICE FOR STREET-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1915.

Application filed. July 21, 1913, Serial No. 780,362. Renewed April 13, 1915. Serial No. 21,130.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. SAULT, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of orcester, in the county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanding Devices for Street-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for sanding tracks, and particularly to that class of sanding devices in which compressed air is utilized to create a suction to draw the sand from the sand hopper and force it through suitable pipe connections to the rails in front of the car wheels.

The invention is an improvement upon the device shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,028,079, issued to me on May 28, 1912.

One of the objects of the present invention is to'provide a better valve mechanism between the air supply pipe and the discharge pipes, the valve of which is provided with a passage connecting the discharge pipe leading to the controller of the sand stirring mechanism and the pipe leading to the ejector casing whereby when the valve is shut off to prevent further admission of compressed air to the controller of the sand stirring mechanism the pressure contained within its pipe may escape through said vented from displacement, said valve casing being provided with suitable shoulders to;

valve passage into the pipe to the cleanout casing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suitable controlling handle which, during the operation of the valve,.is prelimit the movement of said handle in either direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a more positive device for operating the sand stirring mechanism by means of a reciprocating member actuated by compressed air.

A further object of the invention is to provide a more positive device for separating the sand being discharged from'the ejector casing so that equal quantities thereof will be delivered to the tracks in advance of the car wheels.

Another object of the invention is to provide a universal connection between the sand delivering pipes and the flexible pipe leading from the ejector casing.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be thoroughly understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a portion of a street car showing the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged vertical section of the sanding device, and showing in elevation the air pipes leading thereto. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged central vertical section of the main controlling valve. Fig. t represents a horizontal section of the same, the cutting plane being on line 4-4 on Fig. 8. Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of the valve operating handle and a portion of the valve mechanism to which it is attached. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of the sand receptacle showing means for. operating the sand stirring mechanism. Fig. 7 represents a plan of the valve casing and valve stem. Fig. 8 represents a side elevation of the valve romoved from its casing. Fig. 9 represents a central longitudinal section of one of the air discharge nozzles. Fig. 10 represents a front elevation of the discharge end of the system, a portion thereof being shown in section, and Fig. 11 represents a section through the socket of the operating handle.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The invention is shown as connected up with the ordinary compressed air system 10,

" the details of which it is unnecessary to de scribe, as they may be of anyordinary Or Well-known construction. From the compressed air system 10 a supply pipe 11 communicates with a valve casing 12, which is provided with a central conical chamber 13. The valve casing 12 is provided with three outlets 14-1516, and an inlet port 17 extending therethrough opposite the outlet 15. Within the inner conical chamber of the valve casing is positioned a hollow valve 20 the lower end of which is closed by a plug 21 threaded thereto as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This plug 21 may be adjusted relative to the valve member 20 to take up the wear in an obvious manner, the end of the plug 21 contacting at all times with the cap 22 threaded to the casing member 12. The valve 20 is provided with passages or ports 23, 24, and 25, adapted in the rotation ofsaid valve to register with the outlet passages 14, 1 5, and 16, and is also provided with three ports 17*, 18, and 19 in the same horizontal plane, these ports being adapted to register with the port 17 during the rotation of the valve 20. The valve member 20 is also provided with the passages 26 and 27 in the same vertical plane, said passages being adapted to form a communication through the discharge pipes 14 and 16 .during the rotation of said valve 20 for the purpose of permitting the discharge of any compressed air in the pipe 14 into the discharge pipe 16.

The valve is operated by a handle 28 having a socket 29 for receiving the squared end 30 of the valve 20. The socket 29 is provided with a set of concaved depressions 31 and 32 formed in the periphery thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings. In the casing 12 is mounted a ball 33 pressed inwardly by a spring 34, said ball being adapted to engage the locking notches or depressions 31 and 32 to lock the handle 28 in its various adjusted positions, all as shown in Fig. 5. The handle 28 is provided with a shoulder 36 engaging the under side of a projecting flange 37 and formed upon or secured to the upper end of the valve casing 12. The valve casing is also provided with the stop shoulders 38 and 39 to limit the movement of said handle about the axis of said valve. The end 40 of the flange 37 is separated from the shoulder 38 sufliciently so that when the handle is in contact with said shoulder 38 it may be removed from the squared end 30 of the valve 20 or positioned thereon as desired. This flange 37 coacting with the shoulder 36 on the handle 28 prevents the handle from be ing accidentally displaced during the ordinary operation of the valve but by moving the handle to its extreme position in con-.

tact with the shoulder 38 the handle may be removed therefrom when the motorman leaves the car,thereby preventing the unauthorized use of the sanding apparatus.

The hopper for containing the sand is located conveniently in each vestibule of the car so as to be under the control of the motorman. As shown the whole apparatus is located on the platform near the brakestaff thereof. The hopper 41 has a round cast metal bottom 42 bolted thereto and standing on suitable legs 43 secured to the floor 44 of the car. It is provided with a cap or top 45 which supports a suitable screen box or shaker 46 which may be of any well-known construction. I

The discharge pipe 14 communicates with a cylinder 47 and operates a spring pressed piston 48 contained therein. The rod of this piston is'provided with a reciprocating rack 49. This rack 49 engages with the toothed annulus 5O surrounding a ratchet wheel 51 secured to and revoluble with a shaft 52 extending through the bottom 42 inner wall and interposed between the.

ratchet member 51 and the inner wall of the annulus 50 are a plurality of balls 55.

WVhen the annulus 50 is rotated in the-direction of the arrow at on Fig. 6 of the drawings, the balls 55 will ride up the incline of the ratchet teeth of the wheel 52 and being engaged by the concaved depressions 54 will lock the said ratchet wheel and the annulus 50 and cause the stirring arms 53 to be intermittently rotated.

The bottom of the hopper 41 discharges into an ejector casing 56 which is secured directly to the nipple cast on the hopper bottom. In the passage through which the sand descends is located an ordinary steam plug valve 57 adapted to be turned to shut off the discharge from the hopper 41 when desired. The ejector casing 56 is provided with a tubular outlet 58 which connects with the inlet 59 of a cleanout casing 60..

Centrally positioned within the ejector casing 56 is the nozzle member 61 the inlet end of which connnunicates with the line of piping 15, while the opposite end communicates with the valve casing 12. Similarly positioned within the cleanout casing 66 is a nozzle member 62 the inlet end of which is connected to the line of piping 16, while the opposite end also communicates with the valve casing 12. The nozzle members 61 and 62 are each provided with a central discharge opening 63 and a plurality of other discharge openings 64 surrounding said central opening 63, all as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. In the line of piping 15 is positioned a whistle 64 which is operated by the passage ofcompressed air through the pipe 15. When the valve is positioned so that compressed air is permitted to pass through thispipe 15 the whistle 64 will operate as an audible signalto notify the m0- torman that the valve is open. It is obvious that if the valve is left open for any length of time the vacuum created in the ejector casing 61 will by its suction draw the sand from the hopper 41 into the ejector casing and force it therefrom.

It is self evident that the continued flow of air from the nozzle would cause a great waste of sand and the whistle 64 is provided as a warning to the motorman to prevent such waste. Thecleanout casing 60 is a tubular projection 67 of one'member of a ball pipe joint 68, the other member of which communicates with one branch of a coupling member 69. The two opposite branches of this coupling member 69 extend downwardly in opposite directions and are connected by nipples 70 with the transverse pipes 71, the outer ends of which are provided with downwardly extending branches 72 adapted to deliver to the rails 7 3 the requisite amount of sand as the car passes over the'same. Each pipe 71 is provided with an air valve 7 2 which permits the exit of the air in the pipe 7lso that the sand in the outer end of the pipe will drop by gravity onto the rails and will not be blown therefrom by the emission of air from the end of the pipe as would be true if said air valve was not provided. In order to separate the sand as it enters the transverse pipes 71 and the coupling member 69 the horizontal branch of said coupling member 69 is provided with a transverse pin 74 vertically and centrally disposed in said branch. As the sand is forced by the compressed air passing out from the nozzle 62 through the delivery pipes 65 and 66 it will strike against this vertical pin 74 as it enters the horizontal branch of the coupling member 69 and will be equally divided, one half thereof passing down one downwardly extending branch into one of the divisions of the transverse pipe 71 while the same amount of sand will pass down the other downwardly extending branch into the other division thereof, this sand being ultimately discharged through the delivery ends 72 thereof. This forms an important feature of the present invention as great trouble has been found to exist in providing some means for securing positively an equal division of the sand delivered from the sanding device so that an equal amount will be delivered onto each of the tracks on which the car is traveling. Heretofore, when the apparatus was being operated without a suitable universal pipejoint betweenthe transverse pipe 71 and the de-.

livery end of the cleanout casing, much difiiculty was found to exist by the connecting pipe breaking or becoming disconnected through the continued movementof the car body when in operation relative to the car trucks.

When the valve 20 is closed with the handle abutting against the shoulder 38 the handle 28 may be removed from the valve as heretofore stated, but when it is moved contra-clockwise the shoulder 36 on the handle 38 will pass beneath the flange 37 and be locked thereto to prevent its accidental displacement. As the valve 20 continues to move in this direction the ports 17-17 will register while the ports 25 and 16 will also be brought into register to permit a blast of air to pass through the pipe 16 into the cleanout casing 60. At this time the locking ball 38 willbe in engagement with the. locking notch 81. The continued movement of the handle contra-clockwise will cause the ball 83 to; engage with the locking notch 32 and at the same time the ports -l718 will register as will also the ports 24 and 15, thus permitting a blast of air to pass through the pipe 15 into the ejector casing 56. As this air is discharged through the various outlets in the nozzle 61 a vacuum will be created in this ejector oasing, producing a suction which will cause the sand within the hopper 51 to pass down through its discharge outlet into said casing 56 through which the continued discharge of compressed air through the nozzle 61 will cause it to be forced through the delivery pipe 58 into the cleanout casing 60. All the sand that is discharged into this cleanout casing will be similarly forced by means of the plurality of streams of compressed air through the discharge pipe 65 and the flexible hose 66 to the two divisions of the transverse delivery pipe 71. When the handle is moved over far enough to abut against the shoulder 39 the port 19 of the valve 20 will be in register with the port 17 and the port 23 will register with the outlet 14, thereby permitting the air topass therefrom through the pipe 14 into the casing 47 to operate the piston 48, thus forcing it downwardly against the tension of the spring 74 in said casing 47 thereby causing a partial rotation of the shaft 52 through the medium of the reciprocating rack 49, the spring 72 subse quently returning the piston 48 to its normal position when pressure has been removed from the casing 47. When the device is to be operated, it is desirable to first clean out the discharge hose 66, and this is accomplished by permitting the port 17 X to register with the inlet port 17 and the discharge outlet 16 with the port 25 as previously described, a blast of air passed through the cleanout casing thoroughly accomplishing this purpose.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim: 1. In a sanding device for cars, the combination with a supply pipe, and a plurality of discharge pipes; of a valve having passages in position to connect the supply pipe with either of said discharge pipes and provided with other passages in position to communicate with two of said discharge pipes while the supply pipe is cut off, thereby permitting the pressure confined in one pipe to be discharged through the other pipe.

2. In a sanding device for cars, the combination with a supply pipe, and a plurality of discharge pipes; of a hollow valve having passages in position to connect the supply pipe with either of said discharge pipes and provided with other passages in position to'communicate with two ofsaid discharge pipes while the supply pipe'is cut off, thereby permitting the pressure con- Cir fined in one pipe to be discharged through the other pipe.

3. In a sanding device for cars, the combination with a supply pipe; of a valve casing communicating therewith a sand hopper; a sand mixing device therein; a reciprocating piston foroperating said mixing device; a cylindrical casing in which said piston operates; a pipe connecting said casings; an ejector casing beneath said hopper; a pipe leading therefrom to said valve casing; and a valve in said valve casing having passages in position to provide a communication between said supply pipe and either of said connecting pipes, and another passage in position to connect said connecting pipes upon the turning of said valve.

i. In a sanding device for cars, the combination with a supply pipe, and a plurality of discharge pipes; of a valve casing with which said pipes communicate, provided with a segmental flange; a valve within said casing provided with passages forming communications between said supply pipe and either of said discharge pipes and having a plurality of locking depressions in its periphery; an operating handle on said valve provided with a shoulder engaging the under side of said flange to prevent the accidental displacement thereof; and a spring pressed ball adapted to engage either of said depressions to lock said valve in adjusted position.

5. In a sanding device for cars,the combination with a supply pipe, and a plurality of discharge pipes; of a valve casing with which said pipes communicate provided witha segmental flange and shouldered end stops one of which is separated from the end of said flange; a valve within said casing provided with passages forming.

communications between said supply pipe and either of said discharge pipes; and an operating handle on said valve provided with a shoulder engaging the under side of said flange to prevent the accidental displacement thereof.

6. In a sanding device for cars, the combination of a casing; a nozzle projecting 'into the casing for discharging air through the casing; a discharge pipe; a second casing having an inlet communicating with said discharge pipe and provided with a discharge outlet; an air blast extending into the second casing toward its discharge end; means for conducting the air and sand away; means for connecting the nozzle and air blast with a source of compressed air; a flexible pipe connected to the discharge end of said second casing; a pipe extending transversely of the car and having nozzles at the ends thereof adapted to deliver sand to the rails; a branch pipe midway of said ends; and a ball'and socket connection be tween said branch pipe and flexible pipe.

. 7. In a sanding device for cars, the combination of a casing; a nozzle projecting into the casing for discharging .air through the casing; a discharge pipe; a second casing having an inlet communicating with said discharge pipe and provided with a discharge outlet; an air blast extending into the second casing toward its discharge end; means for conducting the air and sand away; means for connecting the nozzle and air blast with a source of compressed air; a flexible pipe connected to the discharge end of said second casing; a pipe extending transversely of the car and having nozzles at the ends thereof adapted to deliver sand to the rails and having a branch pipe midway of said ends; a ball and socket connection between said branch pipe and flexible pipe; and a vertical pin extending transversely of said branch pipe. i v

8. In a sanding device for cars, the combination of a pipe for discharging a current of air and sand; two divisions therefor; and a three way fitting connecting said supply pipe with said. two divisions and having a transverse pin for dividing the current of sand and air passing therethroughtoward said divisions.

9. In a sanding device for cars, the combination with a pipe for discharging a current of air and sand; two divisions therefor; a three way fitting connecting said supply pipe with said two divisions and having a transverse pin for dividing the current of sand and air passing therethrough toward said divisions, said fitting having its two oppositebranches downwardly inclined and connected to said division pipes by nipples.

10. In a sanding device for cars; the combination witha sand hopper; a casing connecting with the bottom thereof, a nozzle projecting into the casing for discharging air through the casing; a discharge pipe; means for connecting the nozzle with a source of compressed air; a flexible pipe connected to. said discharge pipe; a pipe extending transversely of the car and having nozzles at the ends thereof adapted to deliver sand to the rails and a branch pipe midway of said ends;a ball and socket connection between said branch pipe and flexible pipe; and a vertical pin extending transversely of said branch pipe.

11. In a sanding device for cars, the combination with a pipe'for discharging a current of air and sand; two divisions therefor; and a three Way fitting connecting said'supply pipe with said two divisions and having a vertical pin diametrically positioned in the horizontal branch of said fitting for dividing the current of sand and air passing therethrough toward said divisions.

12. In a sanding device for cars, the combination with a pipe for discharging a current of air and sand; two divisions therefor, and a three way fitting connecting said supply pipe with two divisions and having a vertical pin centrally disposed in the horizontal branch of said fitting for dividing the current of sand and air passing therethrough toward said divisions, said fitting having its two opposite branches downwardly inclined and connected to said division pipes by nipples.

13. In a sanding device for cars, the combination with a pipe for discharging a current of air and sand; two divisions therefor having enlarged shouldered chambers therein; and a three way fitting connecting said supply pipe with said tWo divisions and inclined branches connected to said divisions and a horizontal branch at right angles to said divisions and connected to the supply pipe; and a vertical pin extending transversely of said horizontal branch in the path of the current of sand and air, said pin being adapted to divide the sand and divert equal amounts into said divisions.

Signed by me at 4 Post Office Sq., Boston, Mass, this 15th day of July, 1913.

WILLIAM A. SAULT. Witnesses:

CLARENCE R. STREETER, EDWARD F. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

